It Never Got Weird Enough for Me

Watch This – Unbroken

Few movies can be as slow and dull but as tense and dramatic as this movie.

The tale of Louis Zamperini going from troubled youth to Olympic athlete should be tale enough. After all, how many other names does anyone speak of from the Olympic games that featured Jesse Owens? Passed that moment in time, Zamperini took his part in The Greatest Generation and paid a price higher than more of us could ever imagine. His tale of sacrifice and torment is a true testament of the human spirit.

The movie itself has few moments of action in the frame of war. Beyond scattered scenes of bombing raids, there is little if any inclusion of modern action in the film. The slow turns of this movie are made to work by developing the meat of the main character as well as the dire circumstances of his plight. As torturous as the tone of the movie is, the imagery is beautiful. The blues of the ocean and sky convey how alone and isolated the men are while lost at sea. How this movie is able to use contrast beyond that of color is phenomenal in some ways.

The want to hate this movie based on the names of Jolie and Coen are understood but unfounded. If one goes in not knowing those names had anything to do with it, that person would be subject to a fantastic movie without prejudice. This is the way this movie should be seen, as well as all movies.

Personally, I have never seen or been part of the horrors of war. The closest reference I have is my grandfather. He was also part of The Greatest Generation. He’s been gone for years at this point, so I will never know for sure what he would have thought of this movie. Knowing that he loved The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan, I can’t help but imagine watching this movie with him, he in his recliner with me in the other, and he trying to hide a tear or two from me at the end.

Thanks grandpa, thanks for everything.

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Writer, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.